Pools are conventionally equipped with a filter and recirculating pump which operates to withdraw pool water from the pool through a suction port and pump it through a filtering apparatus prior to returning the water to the pool through a makeup water inlet. The suction port is conventionally incorporated within a skimmer assembly which draws pool water into a skimmer basket which collects debris and other solid material which is suspended in the pool water. Smaller particles are free to pass through the skimmer basket and are removed by the filtration apparatus. The suction port in the skimmer is normally effective to draw in surface water within a radius of three to four feet of the skimmer opening and the water inlet to the pool is designed to cause the water to circulate through the pool so that material floating on the surface will pass within the orbit of influence of the skimmer. Solid materials which are not drawn into the skimmer continue to float suspended within the pool and eventually settle to the bottom of the pool where they are removed by periodic vacuuming or other bottom-cleaning techniques.
If the pool is located in an area where there is a large quantity of falling leaves, or other debris which falls into the pool, the pool water must be continuously recirculated and when the pool is in use it may be necessary to periodically skim the foreign materials, such as leaves and the like, from the pool surface manually. Furthermore, the slow removal of the foreign material tends to allow the settlement and accumulation of dirt or other solid material which does not readily float within the pool requiring frequent bottom cleaning.